5/31/12

Chris Young has shown plenty of talent throughout his professional baseball career, confounding batters and posting quality numbers wherever he goes.

For Young, it's just a matter of staying healthy. After spending significant time on the DL for most of the past four seasons - mainly due to shoulder injuries - Young has spent the early part of this season working through the minor league ranks, with an eye on returning to the big leagues. The right-hander made his Bisons debut Thursday after making three starts in Single-A, and he showed why he belongs in the majors when healthy.

Young tossed six scoreless innings for the Herd Thursday, allowing no runs and just two hits. Despite Young's efforts, the Bisons bullpen faltered after a series of impressive performances, and the Herd fell 3-0 in the chance to sweep Columbus. Thursday's game concluded a record 16-game homestand for the Herd, and the Bisons now hit the road for an 8-game Ohio trip through Toledo and Columbus.If Young's effort is any indication, his game is fast approaching a major-league level.

"If he can do the same thing he did today five days from now, he's pretty close to being ready," Bisons manager Wally Backman said. "He's a smart pitcher. That's why he's had the success that he's had in the big leagues. Now, all we hope for is that we keep him healthy."

After maintaining a 3.18 ERA in three starts for Single-A St. Lucie, Young raised his game in his first start with Buffalo. The Princeton grad didn't overpower opposing batters with pure power throughout the outing, with a fastball topping out at 84 mph, but he found success by inducing frequent flyouts.

Many times throughout the afternoon, the 6' 10'' Young was able to use his height to his advantage, by throwing his ball on a sharp downhill angle when necessary.

Consequently, the tallest Herd pitcher induced pop-outs that sailed way up in the air, and Herd fielders made the easy outs.

"That's Chris, he gets pop-ups like that," Backman said. "He's always been that type of pitcher. He's smart, he reads swings on hitters very well, he knows how to go back-and-forth...He's able to pitch at angles up and down."

And the Ivy Leaguer prefers it that way: to beat batters through intelligence.

"I don't worry about velocity," Young said. "I worry about life, and the ball had life to it. There weren't that many hard-hit balls...I tried to mix my pitches, work up and down...get ahead in the count, and be aggressive."

Young's shoulder did not appear to cause much of a problem Thursday, as he made it through 87 pitches without seeing a noticeable drop-off in performance. Young's ball continued to move on command into the later innings, and the right-hander is pleased with the way his shoulder held up."At this point in my rehab, it's about feeling good most importantly," Young said. "But then also, you'd like to have the results to go with it. Today, I had both. It's a work in progress, there's still things to improve upon, but I'm happy with the results and happy with the way I felt."

But reliever Chuck James struggled for the first time in a while, after going 7.2 consecutive innings without allowing a run. The scoreless streak ended quickly, as James was torched for a homer by Beau Mills, the first batter he faced.

Things would not improve for James, as he allowed two more hits before being relieved by Pedro Beato. Columbus added two more runs in the inning, and just like that, a scoreless duel was turned into a 3-0 Clippers lead.

From there, the Columbus relievers went on lockdown mode to preserve the victory. After Clippers starter T.J. McFarland exited the game in the sixth inning, the Columbus bullpen allowed just one hit and no runs the rest of the way. As a result, Columbus was able to notch the victory and deny Buffalo the sweep.

In spite of the loss, the Bisons finished the record homestand with a winning mark of 9-7. The Herd will carry a record of 31-23 into the Ohio roadtrip, and remains in good position heading into June.Even if guys like Young continue to leave for the big leagues, this year's early-season success shows that the Herd can maintain success the rest of the way.

"We're okay," Backman said. "Considering all the players that we've lost to the major league club, I think that we've played pretty well."

Bisons Notes: Thursday's annual Kids Day saw a crowd of 13,631 at Coca-Cola Field...Reliever Jeff Stevens pitched the 9th and allowed no runs, extending his scoreless streak to six innings...Valentino Pascucci extended his IL-high on-base streak to 25 games, with a walk in the first inning...The Bisons had 4 hits on the afternoon and committed one error.

LAST GAME: B-Mets starter Miguel Batisa fired seven innings in a rehab start, but allowed a run in each of his final two frames as the Reading Phillies defeated the Binghamton Mets 5-3 last night at FirstEnergy Stadium. Sebastian Valle’s sac fly in the sixth broke a tie in a game that saw three lead changes. Matt den Dekker drove the offense with a double, home run and two RBI. Jefry Marte drove in a run with a single in the third inning. Batista, rehabbing from lower back stiffness, allowed five runs (four earned) on four hits and struck out three over seven innings of work. Reading starter Julio Rodriguez tossed five innings in a no-decision. The R-Phils bullpen combined for four shutout innings of relief. Frank Gailey earned the win and Justin Friend collected his league-leading 11th save. Jordan Whatcott retired all six he faced in two innings of work.

STARTING PITCHING MATCHUP: RHP Zack Wheeler (4-2, 1.97) makes his ninth start of the season and first against the Reading Phillies. Wheeler has not pitched in a week due to Binghamton’s six-man rotation, Miguel Batista’s rehab start and Tuesday’s rainout. He has won four consecutive starts, including his previous against the New Britain Rock Cats on May 23. He struck out seven and allowed one run on two hits over a career-long eight innings. Wheeler has not allowed more than two earned runs in any of his previous eight starts. His 1.97 ERA is the fourth-best in the Eastern League.

RHP Jonathan Pettibone (4-4, 3.26) makes his eleventh start of the season and first against the B-Mets. Pettibone allowed one run and scattered eight hits over eight innings in a win in his previous start against the Harrisburg Senators on May 25. The righty has thrown seven innings or more three times, tossing a season-high 8.2 innings against Trenton on May 9. After going 1-3 with a 4.33 ERA in April, Pettibone is 3-1 with a 2.41 ERA in the month of May. Selected in the third round as a supplemental pick in the 2008 draft out of Esperanza HS (Yorba Linda, CA), Pettibone is in his fifth pro season. He went 10-11 with a 2.96 ERA with the Clearwater Threshers (High-A) last year. He tied for the team lead with 27 starts.

In a continuing series profiling players the Mets have been
linked to or are projected to be picked around where the Mets have a selection,
today we profile a player who has had more reports linking him to the Mets at
#12 than any other player thus far: SS Gavin Cecchini.

I included more mock picks above to demonstrate how many
experts see the Mets taking Cecchini. I have read quite a number of comments on
various Mets blogs (including this one) from fans who are opposed to the idea
of drafting Cecchini. Let me share some information about Gavin before you jump
to conclusions about him and then let me know in the comments if you still feel
the same way:

- Just yesterday named the Louisiana Baseball Player of the
Year. This puts him in the running for Gatorade National Player of the
Year.

- As a senior, hit .413 with 7 HR, 32 RBI, 43 runs, and
wreaked havoc on the base paths by stealing 32 bases while leading his high
school squad to a state championship.

- That was after a junior year where his stat line was
even more impressive: .532, 11 HR, 45 RBI in 36 games in a season in which
Gavin broke his high school’s record for fielding percentage.

- Tireless worker. Receives universal praise for his work
ethic, drive, and maturity for a high school athlete.

- If Cecchini grows into what scouts project, Gavin could
offer a strong batting average, a bit of pop, and a ton of speed while leading off
and playing above-average defense at shortstop. That is a rare package of tools
and while Gavin may lack the “wow” factor some other prospects in the first
round have, the sum of Cecchini’s tools make him an attractive option for any
team picking in the first round.

- Scouts have stated that Cecchini has a similar skill
set to last year’s pick Brandon Nimmo but is further along in the development
process.

- Read this article and tell me you would not love this
kid in the system.
To paraphrase: one night Gavin’s father thought an intruder was in his house
just to find his son reentering his home after sneaking out late at night to
pull 200-lb. airplane tires to get another workout in. This sort of dedication,
which includes taking swings whenever he can—even during his lunch period—is
part of what defines Cecchini and has led him to top-10 consideration in the
draft.

There will be options at #12. I still think one of Hawkins,
Fried, Almora, or Giolito will be around for the Mets selection. I also think
the Padres or Pirates could select Cecchini as both have stated they are
looking at bats and both would love a shortstop of the future.

The negative reaction from Mets fans to drafting Cecchini is
unwarranted. He may not be the best prospect in this class but he is a
five-tool defensive shortstop who is a safe bet to stick at his position. That
is not common for a high schooler and I would gladly welcome him into the
system if the Mets decide to look there at #12.

If you have any comments or questions or would like me to
profile any player in specific, please let me know in the comments.

1. Byron Buxton (OF) – Appling County HS (GA) – Scouting Report (03.19.12)Those that doubt Buxton as the top player in this draft do so while questioning his ultimate power potential. For me, even without the power, he’s the most dynamic position player in this draft and offers the highest ceiling outside of injured right-hander Lucas Giolito.

2. Kevin Gausman (RHP) – Louisiana State University – Scouting Report (04.06.12)
While other pitchers offer the potential to develop into number two starters, Gausman offers the present stuff and continued projection to give him the best profile at that lofty level. Pitchers with number two potential are never in high supply, and Gausman offers the best ceiling among this year’s college pitching crop.3. Mike Zunino (C) – University of Florida – Scouting Report (03.23.12)
Zunino’s power bat and outstanding catching acumen are enough to make him a top-flight prospect. Combine that with his past performance on elite stages and his outstanding makeup and he is suddenly in the discussion as one of the top players in the entire draft. With positional scarcity on his side, Zunino is among the elite players in this year’s draft.4. Carlos Correa (SS) – Puerto Rico Baseball Academy – Scouting Report (03.16.12)
Whether you believe in his ability to remain a shortstop or not, Correa’s offensive potential is hard to ignore. The more scouts I speak with, the more convinced I become in his offensive potential. There are scouts that have urged me to consider him the top player in the draft, rather than just one of the top players.5. Lucas Giolito (RHP) – Harvard-Westlake HS (CA) – Scouting Report (05.08.12)
While Giolito continues to throw on flat ground, the suspense about what happens to him in the draft continues to build. Once on target to become the first high school pitcher ever taken number one overall, Giolito could now land anywhere from the top five to out of the first round depending on his medical reports and perceived signability. If healthy, Giolito has a higher ceiling than any pitcher in the draft.6. Mark Appel (RHP) – Stanford University – Scouting Report (03.12.12)
Appel has undeniable stuff and has performed well playing for one of college baseball’s elite teams. That said, his performance hasn’t matched scouts expectations based on his raw stuff and more and more scouts are seeing him as a number three starter with the ingredients to be more, but without the feel to make it happen. He is still in the mix to go 1-1 to the Astros, but his stock does continue to slip with many teams in the top ten.7. Kyle Zimmer (RHP) – University of San Francisco – Scouting Report (04.02.12)
Zimmer was one of the draft’s biggest risers earlier this spring before coming back to earth a little recently. He still offers an outside chance to be a number two starter and more likely a really good number three, which should be enough to easily push him off the board in the top ten.8. Michael Wacha (RHP) – Texas A&M – Scouting Report (03.30.12)
Wacha has climbed draft boards throughout the spring. He is physical and offers a fine array of pitches and enough feel to get the most out of his raw stuff. While some scouts fail to see front of the rotation potential, the low level of risk associated with Wacha keeps him high on draft boards.9. David Dahl (OF) – Oak Mountain HS (AL) – Scouting Report (04.05.12)
There are certainly plenty of scouts that question Dahl’s ability to stay in the middle of the diamond as he matures, but even the chance to stay there with his offensive potential makes Dahl a premium pick next month. He is a well-rounded player with ability in all five tools and he could be a well-above average regular if it all comes together.10. Max Fried (LHP) – Harvard-Westlake HS (CA) – Scouting Report (03.21.12)
Once overshadowed on the Harvard-Westlake roster by Lucas Giolito, Fried got his chance to shine when Giolito was sidelined. Fried offers his own tantalizing package of power stuff, only from the left side, making him another rare commodity. There are teams that really believe in Fried’s abilities and he could go further up draft boards based on individual workouts over the next week.11. Albert Almora (OF) – Mater Academy (FL) – Scouting Report (05.11.12)
Almora represents one of the safer high school picks in the draft. He is a multi-tooled athlete with surprising polish for his age, thanks in large part to his vast experience on the international stage as part of Team USA. Almora could come off the board within the top five or he could hang on to just outside the top ten.12. Marcus Stroman (RHP) – Duke University – Scouting Report (05.21.12)While I personally believe Stroman is a reliever long term, teams are almost certain to give him a chance to start in pro ball. He is widely considered in the second tier of college pitching prospects, but there are teams that like him enough to pull the trigger well within the top ten.

Question - Best site
on the web...Hope you’re doing better and was wondering what your thoughts were
about Santana going forward. I know it’s crazy to think how well he's pitched
based on expectations only 2 months ago but is there a chance they'd resign him
after 13' ?. Thanks, Gary Seagren

Christopher SotoAsk me this again next year and I might have an answer....Its still far too early to tell. However as for right this minute, knowing that he is a injury risk, if the financial commitment is more than 2 yr $12 per yr I walk away.

Stephen
Guilbert - This is a fantastic question.
For so long I have put Santana out of my mind as future cog in the rotation
because of our young arms in the system, a need to reduce payroll, and his age
and past injuries. However, Johan has proven to be a valuable commodity in 2012
and I believe the Mets will look into keeping him past his current contract if
he continues to pitch and pitch well.

Anthony Carnacchio - Absolutely resign him for 2 years... 18 million.. Is going to be a great mentor to these younger arms flying through the system.. He is a great pro who is going to be a great influence.

However, I cannot
fully speak to this question because there are so many unknowns still: What
will Familia, Harvey, Wheeler, Mejia amount to? How much will Santana demand?
Will he stay healthy? What will the financial state of the Mets be in 2-4
years?

David Rubin- Great question! It would be wonderful to see Johan retire in a Mets uniform and go into the HOF in blue and orange. That's not going to happen for 2 reasons- his injury and his injury. IF Johan had never been hurt, he would've been a dominating starter in NY for 3 seasons coming into this year AND would have been synonymous with "great Mets' pitchers." Instead, he's fallen into the "Pedro Martinez" category, where injuries have diminished his dominance in a Met uniform and have rendered his tenure less than successful. With the plethora of great young arms about to graduate to the big leagues and Niese and Dickey already in place in the rotation, I don't see the team making a play for Johan, and there's no way Johan agrees to a miniscule contract as a "give-back" for his lost time (his agents and the player's association would never allow it.) Therefore, enjoy the great progress he's made this season, and hopefully another in '13, and then he will join the ranks of great pitchers who just passed through our lives...sadly...

Mack – You’re not
going to like my answer.

I’ve run businesses in
this shape. The Wilpons will not be able to compete with 8-10 year offers for
David Wright, nor can they afford even an aging Johan, especially if he remains
lights out. No, they will opt in for Wright’s last year, but both he and Johan
are not a part of this “business’s” future.

TODAY’S GAME: This morning, the Buffalo Bisons host the Columbus Clippers in the final game of a four-game series at Coca-Cola Field (10:35 a.m.). The Herd has won three straight and five of its last seven games. After today’s game, the Bisons will begin an eight-game roadtrip on Friday in Toledo.

HOMESTAND END: Today marks the end of the Bisons’ marathon 16-game homestand. Buffalo is 9-6 so far, including a 3-1 series win over Gwinnett, May 15-18. Seven different pitchers picked up wins with RHP MATT HARVEY and LHP JUSTIN HAMPSON both going 2-0 during the homestand. OFMATT TUIASOSOPO (.309, 2HR, 12RBI), OF COREY WIMBERLY (.304, 1HR, 3RBI) and OFFRED LEWIS (.300, 2HR, 7RBI) all had big homestands at the plate.

ANOTHER SWEEP: The Bisons will go for the four-game sweep today of the Clippers. The last two times these teams have met at Coca-Cola Field, the series has ended in a sweep. The Herd swept Columbus, August 5-8, 2010 while the Clippers won four straight over Buffalo, June 11-14.

CHRIS YOUNG: RHPCHRIS YOUNG makes his Bisons debut this morning. He missed the first 33 games of 2012 on the disabled list before being transferred to St. Lucie (A) to continue his return from shoulder surgery last May. Young was 1-0 with a 3.18ERA in two starts with St. Lucie (17.0IP, 17H, 7K). The veteran was 0-1 with a 1.88ERA in four starts with the Mets in 2011.

HOLY THOLE: CJOSH THOLE began his MLB injury rehab with the Bisons by pinch hitting and grounding out in the eighth inning last night. Thole is expected to be behind the plate for the Bisons today. Thole was placed on the disabled list by the Mets on May 8 with a concussion.

As you have probably heard, June 4th is the Rule
IV Amateur draft and the Mets have the #12 pick in the first round of said
draft. While this class lacks the 30+ elite prospects that ‘11’s class had us
all drooling over, there are enough to leave an A+ prospect available to the
Mets at pick 12.

From this point on I am going to give my opinion on players.
Take this with a grain of salt—I am not a scout, nor do I pretend to be. I have
merely collected information I have read, combined it with what I have learned
from past draft choices and what I have observed from scouting videos, and have
ranked the top draft players by talent. The following 11 are the players I
believe are A+ prospects (alphabetically):

Albert Almora

Mark Appel

Buck Buxton

Carlos Correa

Max Fried

Kevin Gausman

Lucas Giolito

Courtney Hawkins

Lance McCullers

Kyle Zimmer

Mike Zunino

Yes, there is a lot to like about Heaney, Stratton, Stroman,
Wacha, Dahl, Marrero, and even riskier high
school picks like Gallo and Hensley but in my mind, these are the A+ prospects
in this draft. I want one of these 11.

McCullers is the wildcard because a lot of folks believe he
will go to college. Let’s say, for sake of argument, Lance falls to the Mets
and the Mets pass on him. That leaves 10 A+ players. I still want one of these
10.

There is no possible scenario (barring an unlikely injury in
the next week) that Appel, Gausman, Correa, Zunino, or Buxton fall to the Mets.
Those are the top 5 players and will likely be taken with the top 5 picks in
some order.

Once Appel and Gausman come off the board by pick 4 (my
guess is Appel goes 1 or 2 and I do not see how the Orioles pass on Gausman),
the pitching-starved Cubs or Royals will take Zimmer. I also do not see many
scenarios in which Albert Almora makes it out of the top 10: The Pirates,
Padres, and Royals should all be in on him and even if they all pass, I would
think the Rockies or Marlins—two teams who do
not shy away from high school talent—would take him.

That leaves us with the two Harvard Westlake pitchers (LHP
Max Fried and RHP Lucas Giolito) and Courtney Hawkins.

We have two extra teams we need to get out of the way before
I get one of my A+ prospects.

Here is how that happens:

Correa goes in the top few picks. The Padres and Pirates
both want/need middle infield talent. One of them reaches for Deven Marrero or Gavin Cecchini (not out of the question that both are taken
back-to-back by the Padres and Pirates at 7 and 8). This is a distinct
possibility. Marrero was a consensus top-5 guy
before a lackluster spring and there might be more teams who believe he will
bounce back. There is a strong chance Marrero
jumps into the top 11. Or someone jumps the gun on…

Michael Wacha. I
believe Michael Wacha will be taken early in the draft. No, his ceiling is
nowhere near the “top three” college guys (Gausman, Zimmer, Appel), but he had
a great season, has decent stuff, and has the size, composure, and results of a
mid-rotation pitcher and would be quick to the bigs. Oh and he is a
prototypical Oakland Athletics pick. Which leads me to…

The A’s. The A’s,
drafting right before the Mets, will likely take a college pitcher or college hitter.
It is what they do—draft college players. With Zunino, Appel, Zimmer, and
Gausman already off the board, Wacha, Heaney, and Stratton all look appetizing
to the A’s. So do Piscotty and Shaffer. And Stroman. The A’s will take one of
these players. Even if they don’t (which they will)…

C Stryker Trahan or RHP Zach Eflin. Maybe SS Addison
Russell. Something crazy always happens in the top 10 in the draft that no
one is predicting. Maybe some team realizes they don’t want to miss out on slugging
OF Victor Roache at any cost and
reach in order to get him (A’s and Rockies the
best bet to do this). Maybe a team decides to go the safe college route,
realize they can go well under slot and invest later in the draft and take OF Tyler Naquin with a top-10 pick…

Or OF Barrett Barnes.
Or how about OF Raph Rhymes, who has
led the world in hitting and would be
worth a look in the first round anyway. The drafting team could get one of
these guys for a million+ under slot and invest elsewhere in the draft. With
the new CBA and draft rules, we might see something unorthodox like this. Crazier
things have happened and all we need is one or two of these possibilities to
come to pass for the Mets to have a shot at one of those top-11 guys.

------

If you have your own
top draft prospect list or would like to chat about the draft in any regard,
comment below and I will get back to you. This is all speculation at this point
and a lot will change over the next week. However, these have been my top 11
guys for a couple weeks now and while I would be thrilled to get a Stroman,
Heaney, Dahl, or Cecchini, I believe the names I mention in the list above
could be something truly special and I want the Mets to have the chance to
draft one of them.

If you don't want to pay to read my stuff, that's totally
cool. It's a value proposition, and the economy sucks. But a moral stand is
silly.

Mets:

Detroit calls up C Omir Santos to replace 2B Ryan Raburn on roster.

Adam Rubin –

The Mets have reorganized roles within their front-office
hierarchy, including promoting Adam Wogan from
director of minor league operations to a role more involved with major league
duties. Deputy Jon Miller moves to Wogan’s
former role under Paul DePodesta.

Mack – I wondered when DePo was brought in how
long Wogan would report to him… now, I know.

Mark Healey -

You can keep Citi Field ... I
miss Big Shea

AAA-Buffalo:

Adam Rubin –

Jordany Valdespin, who had a pinch-hit homer for Buffalo
the day he was demoted from the Mets, then went on a strikeout binge and ended
up in a meeting with Backman and roving minor league hitting coordinator Lamar
Johnson. The staff was concerned Valdespin was swinging wildly and did not seem
to have any plan at the plate or recognition of what the game situation
demanded. Valdespin also lacked effort pursuing balls in his first game
assigned to second base after the return from the majors.

Mack – Told ya…

Mets360 -

For those unaware of who El Ramirez is
(and you should know who he is if you read David
Groveman’s fine columns), he is a hard-throwing righty who is flat out
dominating Buffalo right now (after previously dominating Binghamton). In 11
appearances for the Bisons, Ramirez has yet to allow a run in 14.2 innings
pitched while only allowing five hits and one walk. Ramirez also has amassed a
stunning 19 strikeouts in this stretch. Yes, you read correctly, that’s a 19-1
strikeout to walk ratio!

Mack – boy, this stings…

Ben Wagner –

Jenrry Mejia is scheduled to throw 75 pitches. This is his 5th start since
returning from Tommy John surgery

2B Reese Havens allowed the
Phillies' first run to score on a failed play at second and went 0-3 at the
plate with a walk. With 26 games under his belt, Reese sports an Ike Davisian
.148 average -- .091 at home. On the bright side, he's walked 19 times. On the
brighter side, he's likely getting his groove back coming off injury

Matt Harvey still has some command issues (four walks tonight, equaling
his season high set on Opening Day) and doesn't use his changeup a whole lot.
His best one came in the fifth, when 2011 IL MVP Russ Canzler took a 79-mph
pitch for strike three. Harvey's velocity was lower in Tuesday's start, ranging
from 88-91. He did not stay in the 92-94-mph range we've seen, clearly opting
for more control with less velocity. And it worked well in a 10-pitch first
inning and a nine-pitch fourth. Talked to a couple scouts pregame and they're
in agreement that Harvey will be a good major-league pitcher. Is he a future
No. 1 starter? At this point, no.But
he's a solid No. 3. And if he can master secondary pitches, and use them more,
there's plenty of room for him to rise up the ladder.

One scout who watched the performance (of Zack Wheeler) certainly offered high praise, telling
ESPNNewYork.com: “If he’s not the top prospect in baseball, he’s pretty close.”
The other minor league pitching prospects also cited: Jarred
Cosart, Trevor May and Dylan Bundy (whom
a different scout labeled a Tom Seaver clone). “This
kid’s got it,” the scout said about Wheeler, while comparing his free-and-easy
delivery to Rays left-hander Matt Moore. “The ball comes out of his hand real
easy, 94-97 mph. He throws three off-speed pitches for strikes. He’ll grow into
his control.”

In the month of May, Aderlin Rodriguez has hit .299/.398/.494 w/ 6 2B, 3 HR
while doubling his walk rate (14.0%)… he stayed hot tonight, hitting his 7th
homer (.251)… hit another one in the 6th (.255)…

I think this is as good
a time as any to raise Travis Tajieron’s status
to “prospect”. As C Cam Maron said: “Trav is a
freakin’ beast!”. The stat line after Tuesday’s game:.297/.410/.566/.975/10-HR/34-RBI. Only
downside here is he’s playing A-ball at 23. He’s blocked in CF by Darrell Cecilliani in St. Lucy, and Matt den Dekker in Binghamton. Both need more time at their
current level, so, do the Mets move Taijerson to one of the corners? I’m
thinking a Lucy outfield of Cory Vaughn, Cecilliani,
and Taijerson.

We have a series going in which we are profiling players who
have been directly linked to the Mets in the June draft, project to be picked
around where the Mets are selecting, or are players that look intriguing and
should be around for our early selections.

In a draft lacking significant college talent and very few
lefties, Andrew Heaney of Oklahoma State has put together an unbelievable
junior season and finishes the year with one of the more impressive stat lines
in all of division one:

Check these numbers out: 15 starts, 118 IP (nearly 8 innings per start on average). 74 hits and 22 walks allowed
against 140 strikeouts to the tune
of a 1.60 ERA. He also hurled three shutouts and six complete games
in those 15 starts.

2nd in all of Division I with a 0.81 WHIP.

8th in all of Division I with a 1.60 ERA

11th in all of Division I with a 6.36 K/BB
ratio, one spot ahead of control specialist and fellow first rounder Michael
Wacha.

6 complete games, tied for 9th nationally, 4th
in hits allowed, only 4 homers allowed in 118 innings, top 20 in Ks/9…the list
goes on. It is staggering how effective Heaney was this spring.

Many believe Heaney is a #3 pitcher or perhaps a #2 at
best but I think the southpaw has yet to come close to his full potential and
could wind up as an ace someday for a contending team if all goes well

Andrew Heaney is a name I have seen on a few mocks and a
player who would be intriguing in the Mets system. While the thought is that
the Mets will go for a bat again after passing on a plethora of college arms
last year in the middle third of the first round, Heaney could add a
much-needed lefty into the Mets system.

Heaney has been rocketing up draft boards after his
fantastic spring. A wiry kid out of high school and still relatively small
(6’2” 175), Heaney worked on his strength this past year and it paid off in a
big way. He was able to maintain his low-90s fastball late in starts, pitch
deeper into games, and keep his delivery and composure late in starts. If
Heaney continues to grow and improve (and add a couple of ticks to his fastball),
he could be a front-end starter within a few years.

Heaney would be quick to the majors and while he does not
quite have the dominating arsenal of Max Fried, he is much further along in the
process. If the Mets have their heart set on a lefty and Fried is gone, I
believe they will look at Heaney (if the A’s don’t pick him before we do, that
is).

According to Jay’s Journal (a great draft resource, by the way), Heaney throws three pitches: a fastball
at 89-92 and can touch 95, a “slurve” at 80 MPH that some consider a slider or
a screwball, and a change thrown at the same speed as the slurve but with good
late break.

Opinion: I like Heaney a lot. If the first 11 picks
get selected thus that Hawkins, Almora, Fried, Zimmer, and Giolito are off the
board (a situation that is possible, albeit not likely, but would be
unfortunate for the Mets), Heaney might be the pick here (and a good one at
that). He turns 21 two days after the draft and, if this season was any
indication, could develop into one heck of a pitcher.

May 30, 2012 – The New York Mets today announced they have recalled Bisons INFJORDANY VALDESPIN. The Bisons announced that OF RAUL REYES has been promoted from Double-A Binghamton.

Valdespin has hit .279 with a 4HR and 15RBI in 27 games with the Bisons this season. Valdespin was also promoted to the Mets, April 24 - May 19. He had two hits in 20 at-bats in 15 games with New York. Valdespin hit a pinch-hit three-run home run in the ninth inning of a 5-2 win over the Phillies on May 7.

Reyes joins the Bisons for the second time this season. He was with the Herd, April 6-30 and hit .219 with 2RBI in 15 games with the Herd. He was hitting .264 with four home runs and 16RBI in 22 games with Binghamton this season.

PROSPECT ON THE RISE: Patrick
Kivlehan, 3b, Rutgers University. Kivlehan has progressed in the brief
period of three months from not even existing on the baseball map, literally,
to being a potential top 3-4 round pick in this year’s draft. Once a dominant
high-school baseball player, Kivlehan put away his baseball bat and glove for
four years while playing defensive back at Rutgers, and contributing to three
bowl-winning football teams. With his football eligibility expired and still
needing credits to graduate, Kivlehan decided to try out for the Rutgers
baseball team this spring, but not before fulfilling an internship with Major
League Baseball Advanced Media over the winter. He was an overnight sensation
for the Scarlet Knights, and nearly won the Big East Conference triple crown by
leading the league in batting (.392) and home runs (14), while finishing second
to Louisville’s Stewart Ijames in RBIs (50 vs. Ijames’ 60). He also stole 24 of
28 bases to finish third in the Big East in that category. How high he rises
before the draft is still uncertain, but his superior athleticism is certain to
stand out in any number of team workouts he will participate in before the
draft.

Duke
head coach Sean McNally resigned after compiling
a 192-198 record during his tenure

Mack – maybe he’s in a package deal with
Stroman….

Ty Moore is Mater Dei Baseball's first ever Gatorade
California Baseball Player of the Year

Kevin Goldstein‏ -

He's in their mix. No such thing as a lock at
12. RT @JohnMackinAde: @Kevin_Goldstein -does it
still look to be Cecchini to Mets?

Todd Gold -

Mater Dei goes down in
semifinals. Really drives home just how tough it is to win CIF SS D1 tourney.
Playoffs are a mine field.

OF Nick Williams, who was committed to #Texas at one
point, signed with TAMU

Washington
RHP Aaron West -90-93

Keith Law -

Q - Do you think teams should
be allowed to trade picks?

A - Yes, always have.

The Big Ten has suspended Purdue's Eric Charles from Friday's NCAA gm vs. Valpo for his
part in Saturday's fight in Indiana game

Lucas Giolito, RHP,
Harvard-Westlake HS (CA) - Who he is: Among the best high school righties in
recent memory, as he has everything scouts look for. He's 6-foot-6 with long
levers, throws in the mid-to-upper 90s while touching 100, and he's much more
than just a pure arm, as many teams also saw his power curveball as one of if
not the best breaking ball in the draft. He also has an advanced changeup for
his age. Draft skinny: Giolito is the biggest enigma in the draft after an
elbow injury shut him down in March. While there is no structural damage, he's
only to the point of throwing off flat ground, and his UCLA commitment is
considered stronger than ever because he had a chance to be the first high
school right-hander ever taken at No. 1 overall before the injury, and teams
assumed he'll still want to be paid like one. If he goes in the top five picks,
I will not be shocked. If nobody touches him in the first round due to
signability fears, I will not be surprised.